Thursday, October 26, 2006

Solutions

[Disclaimer: This post was first published on Coleen Rowley's campaign weblog.]

"I constantly have difficulty getting a solution from Mrs. Rowley." - John Kline on Almanac, October 20, 2006

John Kline has registered the complaint that Coleen does not offer solutions to the problems facing America. Setting aside the fact that a number of the problems we face occurred or were exacerbated during Kline's four years in office, it's a valuable exercise to do a side-by-side comparison of Coleen's proposed solutions with John Kline's.

Here are just a few of the solutions Coleen has proposed for certain issues, side by side with John Kline's. (The video of the 10/20/2006 Almanac debate is available here):

Issue

Coleen Rowley's Solution

John Kline's "Solution"

Iraq

Responsible redeployment "to regional positions to respond quickly to emergency scenarios and/or terrorist developments." Get the surrounding countries, including Syria and Iran on board to prevent the violence from spilling over. (Almanac debate)

Coleen's position is substantially identical to the options reportedly under consideration by a commission led by James Baker, John Kline's mentor and hero.

"Well, it wouldn't be, I mean, it's a false choice to say we have to let them stay or we have to bus them out. That's not the choice that's there. Many will leave themselves if there's a mechanism for them to come back in . . . ." (Access to Democracy, August 14 2006)

Skyrocketing federal debt

Allow tax cuts for the wealthiest 1%-2% to lapse, reinstitute the "pay as you go" budgeting model, and no more earmarks. (Almanac debate)